PRETORIA - "General Khumalo was my friend," Investigative Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC)'s Brian Padayachee told the Madlanga Commission on Tuesday.
He also told the Commission that Major-General Nosipho Madondo was his mentee and he was, therefore, surprised when he had to arrest both of them.
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Padayachee testified at the Commission that there was no political interference in his decision to arrest Khumalo; however, he was following up on an instruction by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
Padayachee appeared before the Commission to defend allegations against him by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commission Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi that Khumalo's arrest was political. The investigator said Mkhwanazi was aware of the arrest and everything was above board.
He told the Commission he met Khumalo in the early 2000s and they got along very well. Over the years, they lost communication as their careers took them various directions; however, they continued to have respect for each other.
The investigator says he was happy when Khumalo was appointed as acting Divisional Crime Intelligence head at Crime Intelligence.
READ: Fadiel Adams lays criminal charges against Mkhwanazi, Cele
Padayachee had previously testified at the Zondo Commission testifying about the corruption at Crime Intelligence.
"He started cleaning up Crime Intelligence," he said.
"When all allegations against him came up, I was very surprised," says Padayachee. He was more surprised about the allegations against Madondo, as he had mentored her personally.
"There was no malice on my part; these are people I know," he added.
Padayachee said investigations against Khumalo came via a Section 27 (of the NPA Act) referral by Member of Parliament Fadiel Adams.
READ: 'I am not an investigator' - Adams on failure to authenticate documents
Mkhwanazi has, at the Commission and his media briefing, accused Adams and DA Member of Parliament Dianne Kohler Barnard of being reckless with Crime Intelligence information.
Adams has denied such allegations and opened a case against Mkhwanazi.
Adams was subsequently arrested for interference with the ongoing Sindiswa Magaqa murder case.
He is said to have misled prison officials to gain access to one of the suspects in the murder case.
Padayachee says investigations are prosecution-driven and cannot be influenced by investigators.